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F1 Miami GP: Verstappen fends off Leclerc for pole again

Verstappen posted a 1m27.241s to lead Leclerc by 0.141-seconds on the first runs in Q3, where they were trailed by Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari.

On the final runs, although Verstappen set the session’s fastest time in the first sector, the leading trio could not better their previous best times – Leclerc in particular having a wild time on this final flier.

Sergio Perez did find time on his final Q3 go to jump to fourth, while Lando Norris took fifth having run mediums on his first Q3 effort.

This pair improving shuffled Oscar Piastri down to sixth on the second Q3 runs, while the Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took seventh and eighth.

Both Mercedes drivers had to run mediums for the last Q3 laps after running out of new softs, but only Hamilton went quicker with the yellow-walled rubber.

Behind, Nico Hulkenberg was ninth and Yuki Tsunoda took 10th, with the other notable incident in Q3 being Sainz getting cleared of impeding Hulkenberg at Turn 17 late on.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24 (Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images)

In Q2, Russell’s last-gasp improvement knocked out Lance Stroll, who was joined by Alpine pair Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon – both French drivers failing to set personal best times on their final runs in the middle segment.

Behind, Alex Albon’s late personal best pushed Fernando Alonso down to 15th in the other Aston Martin.

In Q1, Alonso squeaked in through 0.01s ahead of Valtteri Bottas in 15th and 16th, with home hero Logan Sargeant eliminated in 17th behind Bottas.

Sprint qualifying and race star Daniel Ricciardo was also knocked out in 18th complaining of lacking rear grip, with Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu 19th and 20th.

Magnussen lost time with traffic at the final corner on his last Q1 lap, while Zhou faces a post-session stewards’ investigation for pushing in front of Ricciardo when before the pitlane opened for the first segment and for crossing the pit exit line late in Q1.

Several drivers will be investigated for going too slowly on out-laps, but will be expected to avoid grid penalties as is now typical for such incidents, while Ricciardo’s post-Chinese GP penalty for overtaking under the safety car means he will start Sunday’s race from last place.

F1 Miami Grand Prix - Qualifying results

   
1
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4
   
   
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2
   
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Laps Time Interval km/h
1 Netherlands M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1 Red Bull Red Bull 18

1'27.241

  223.326
2 Monaco C. Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari 21

+0.141

1'27.382

0.141 222.965
3 Spain C. Sainz Ferrari 55 Ferrari Ferrari 21

+0.214

1'27.455

0.073 222.779
4 Mexico S. Perez Red Bull Racing 11 Red Bull Red Bull 18

+0.219

1'27.460

0.005 222.766
5 United Kingdom L. Norris McLaren 4 McLaren Mercedes 21

+0.353

1'27.594

0.134 222.426
6 Australia O. Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes 19

+0.434

1'27.675

0.081 222.220
7 United Kingdom G. Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes 21

+0.826

1'28.067

0.392 221.231
8 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Mercedes 44 Mercedes Mercedes 21

+0.866

1'28.107

0.040 221.131
9 Germany N. Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team 27 Haas Ferrari 21

+0.905

1'28.146

0.039 221.033
10 Japan Y. Tsunoda RB 22 RB Red Bull 21

+0.951

1'28.192

0.046 220.917
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